Retail Salespersons Salary
Retail Salespersons in Pennsylvania make a median of $31,200 a year, or about $15 an hour. The range runs from $24K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $32,852 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 62.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $31K get you in Pennsylvania?
About retail salespersons
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Pay for retail salespersons in Pennsylvania runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $35K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 62% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for retail salespersonss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pennsylvania
Entry-level retail salespersons (10th percentile) start around $24K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Retail Salespersons salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $35K | +12% | 63,990 |
| Reading | $33K | +6% | 4,430 |
| Lebanon | $33K | +6% | 1,420 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $32K | +4% | 9,060 |
| Chambersburg | $31K | -0% | 1,630 |
| Pittsburgh | $31K | -1% | 28,700 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $31K | -2% | 7,640 |
| York-Hanover | $30K | -2% | 4,680 |
| Williamsport | $30K | -2% | 1,300 |
| Lancaster | $30K | -3% | 7,400 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $30K | -4% | 6,330 |
| State College | $29K | -6% | 1,710 |
| Erie | $29K | -8% | 3,340 |
| Gettysburg | $29K | -9% | 860 |
| Altoona | $28K | -9% | 2,090 |
| Johnstown | $28K | -10% | 1,370 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track retail salespersons salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a retail salesperson afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 62% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for retail salespersons in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new retail salespersons typically earn — is $24K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,426/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 95% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is retail salesperson a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $31K here vs. $35K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for retail salespersons?
Pennsylvania pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $35K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $33K — below the national median.
How much do retail salespersons make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $31,200 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,770, and experienced retail salespersons can clear $46,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,179/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 62% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a retail salespersons salary go in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median retail salespersons salary is worth about $32,852 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do retail salespersons get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.